Hold That Pose! New APIs Mean iOS 7 Could Detect Blinking, Smiling
by Joe White
June 26, 2013
After digging around in iOS 7 beta 2, it has been discovered that Apple's forthcoming software update includes APIs which could allow applications to detect whether a person is blinking or smiling, according to 9to5Mac.
Though iOS 5 added APIs for facial recognition, in iOS 7 beta 2 particular facial expressions can be detected if developers implement the necessary code. Specifically, blinking, smiling, and more could be individually distinguished:
While the Camera app doesn't yet feature the above integration, 9to5Mac anticipates that the feature could be added before the iPhone 5S becomes available:
there is a possibility that the same situation is happening again and the API additions foreshadow new user-features being rolled into the Camera app … For instance, Apple could add smart logic to delay taking pictures until people are smiling or after they have blinked. Some Android phones already offer “best shot” modes, which take several photos in quick succession and the software ‘intelligently’ selects the best one. In previous years, Apple has kept some iPhone camera features secret until a new generation iPhone launched.Of course, we'll know nothing for sure until Apple announces it, but from what we can tell the above APIs indeed look promising. For more iOS 7 related news, see: The AppAdvice iOS 7 Quick Pick: Controlling Music While On The Lock Screen, Hands-On Video: The Return Of Apple's Voice Memos App Is Making Waves In iOS 7, and Hands-On iOS 7: How To Change Siri’s Voice From Female To Male.
